yet another "figure it out" thread

[Hoytail Hunter]

and for the guys who already know the answer to this, don't spoil it for everyone else please.

You have a 3 gallon container and a 5 gallon container. Neither of the containers are symmetrical nor are they marked in any way. They are both oddly shapped but hold exactly their respective number of gallons when filled to the brim. With your life on the line,thetask is to go to the well and bring back exactly 4 gallons of water. This is not a trick question, it's just math.

[Hoytail Hunter]

Here's an ideato help start you out withon how to go about this...

If you fill the 3 gal containerthen empty it into the 5 gal, you now have 3 gallons of water inside the 5 gal container. It doesn't have to happen with this exact sequence as a starting pointbut if it did, how would you obtain the missing gallon to add to the existing 3 to make the 4 that you need?

This is life or death now guys. C'mon, think and live or don't and die!!!

[Robert L E]

1) Fill the 3gallon from the 5gal leaving exactly 2gal in the 5gal container.

2) Dump the 3gal.

3) Put the 2 gallons that remain into the empty 3gal container.

4) Refill the 5gal container and fill the 3gal container that has 2 gallons in it.

5) This leaves exactly 4 gallons in the 5gal container.

Bob

[twildasin]

Well I would fill the 3 gallon bucket and empty it in the 5 gallon bucket fill the 3 gallon bucket again and then put in what you need to fill the 5 gallon bucket mark your 3 gallon bucket with the remaining water which would be a gallon dump the 5 gallon bucket out put the 1 gallon in thats remaining in the 3 gallon bucket fill the 3 gallon bucket again and dump it in the 5 gallon bucket and BAM you got 4 gallons!

[WakeCow]

fill 3 gallon empty into 5 gallon fill 3 gallon empty into 5 gallon 1 gallon left in 3 gallon container empty 5 gallon put the 1 gallon in the 5 gallon fill 3 gallon and put in the 5 gallon container I believe 4 gallons is should be in there.

[wingchaser_labs]

nevermind. wCL

[MN/Kyle]

ORIGINAL: Hoytail Hunter

This is not a trick question, it's just math.

I avoid math like the plauge[8D]

[Hoytail Hunter]

Well, you guys are definitely smarter than me or at least better at visualizing this 'cause I posted this and in 10-15 min we already hadboth right answers. When I was first asked this it took me a half hour to figure it out.

Either the aboveor you already knew andwere just claiming your undeserved glory! LOL jk, honor system here... good job guys!

[Hoytail Hunter]

Ooooh just thought of this...

Now, let's say the containers are perfectly symmetrical - either cylinders or like a box. How then would there be a third way to do it?

[magicman54494]

I would get the bellhop and the short guy from the 24th floor to figure it out.